Taiwan Tech participated in the 3rd “Sustainable Good Life” Online Exhibition, held from July 18 to 19, presenting a refreshing and heartwarming demonstration of its strengths. Breaking away from the conventional image of Taiwan Tech as primarily focused on “hardware and engineering”, the Taiwan Tech booth was independently organized by participants in the university’s “Active Aging Program”. Centered on the four core approaches of “plant therapy, conversation therapy, digital therapy, and food therapy”, the booth shifted the focus back to the humanities, social engagement, and cross-sector partnerships. It showcased Taiwan Tech’s substantial achievements in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in quality education, health and well-being, and partnerships for the goals.

At the Taiwan Tech booth, adults and children joined hands to create handmade plant arrangements together.

Assistant Professor Tsai-Ju Lee of the Graduate Institute of Digital Learning and Education and instructor in the Active Aging Program at Taiwan Tech noted that in an era of sustainability, environmental protection and sustainable materials are important, but sustainability in human relationships and the transmission of culture across generations are even more fundamental. Through its Active Aging Program, Taiwan Tech has continuously worked to promote educational equity and sustainable partnerships. Through exchanges between international students and participants in the Active Aging Program, Taiwanese social and cultural traditions can be passed on while participants broaden their international perspectives, allowing more people to see Taiwan Tech’s diverse, inclusive, and warm approach to sustainability. Professor Cathy Weng, who also teaches in the Active Aging Program, strongly agreed. She pointed out that the core of active aging education lies in empowerment. Through this exhibition, older adults demonstrated a capacity for social engagement that transcends age, providing an excellent model of the sustainable cycle of “social capital” in an aging society.

All of the exhibition guides were international students and participants in the Active Aging Program.

To transform what they learn in their daily studies into practical action, all of the exhibition guides were international students and participants in the Active Aging Program. The students voluntarily organized the event and prepared 110 handmade plant arrangements for visitors. They also held a “Planting Workshop” every hour, allowing members of the public to participate in hands-on activities. The workshop was led by instructor Shao-Chun Lee, who is not only a participant in Taiwan Tech’s Active Aging Program but also works as a horticultural therapist. She expressed surprise at the enthusiasm of visitors, which exceeded her expectations. By the end of the first day, 60 percent of the supplies had already been used. Every workshop session was fully booked, and many visitors even wanted to participate but were unable to find a place.

Participating visitors enthusiastically displayed their own creations.

Among those busy working at the booth was also a group of international faces. Moses Derrick Wangwe, an international student from Kenya at Taiwan Tech, happily shared his appreciation for the opportunity provided by the university to step outside the campus and engage with Taiwanese communities. He said that at university, students mainly learn theories, but through this exhibition, he was able to see firsthand how much Taiwan has done in terms of sustainability and caring for older adults. Such experiences are relatively difficult to encounter in his home country. The experience also prompted him to reflect on the needs of his own country. He hopes that after graduation, he can bring the experiences and warmth he has learned at Taiwan Tech back to Kenya and contribute to his own society.

Instructor Shao-Chun Lee, who led the workshop, is not only a participant in Taiwan Tech’s Active Aging Program but also works as a horticultural therapist.

As the “Sustainable Good Life” event focuses on promoting well-being for both parents and children, most activities at the exhibition were designed around children. Taiwan Tech’s booth, which was organized by older adults participating in the Active Aging Program, therefore stood out as particularly distinctive. Because of the enthusiasm and warmth of the older participants, the booth attracted and retained many parents visiting the exhibition with their children. Adults and children joined hands to create handmade plant arrangements together. This scene of intergenerational inclusion and interaction perfectly embodied the spirit of “human sustainability” promoted by Taiwan Tech’s Active Aging Program. Older adults are no longer simply recipients of care; instead, they have become disseminators of sustainability knowledge and warm companions to others. In the future, Taiwan Tech will continue to promote diverse cross-sector initiatives through its Active Aging Program, making lifelong learning and intergenerational inclusion some of the warmest and most sustainable features of Taiwanese society.

Participants in the Active Aging Program introduce Taiwan Tech’s Active Aging Program to visitors.